As for the lonely part, it’s a non-issue for me. I’m quite content with my own company and I’m not really alone all that often so it’s a welcome break to simply ramp down and not have to worry about or take care of anyone else. Having some time to explore on my own terms is really a treat.

As for the daunting part, it’s like anything else… keep practicing and it will start to come naturally. As you push your limits and build on each experience, your notions about what is possible will expand accordingly.

So yesterday at my beloved Great Sand Dunes, I faced some very challenging weather out exploring and back at camp. Tough weather can happen anywhere as we well know. I don’t look at yesterday’s adventure as more dangerous than anything else in my daily life but I will say that when you’re on your own and you face these kinds of challenges, you find out what you’re made of and it’s very empowering.

The truth is, anyone can do this, you just have to give yourself the chance. There’s such tremendous freedom and power in knowing you can rely on your own wits in a variety of situations. So I leave you with this…